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Travels in Turkey, Asia Minor, Syria, and across the desert into Egypt ...

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246<br />

TRAVELS IN ASIATIC TURKEY,<br />

CHAPTER XIV.<br />

Excursion to Old Cairo. Grotto where <strong>the</strong> holy family took refugefrom Herod'*<br />

persecution. Chapel of St. George. Expected visit from <strong>the</strong> prophet Mahomed.<br />

Armistice concluded with <strong>the</strong> French at Alex<strong>and</strong>ria. Excursion to<br />

Boulac. Account of <strong>the</strong> Colcassium. The saffron shrub. Cassira. Egyp-<br />

tian thorn. Gum Arabic. Herbaceous plants. Surrender of Alex<strong>and</strong>ria<br />

to <strong>the</strong> British. Magnificent burial places. Marriage processions. Inunda-<br />

tion of <strong>the</strong> Nile. Excursion to Mount Mokatam. Slave market. Leprosy.<br />

Voyage on <strong>the</strong> Nile to Alex<strong>and</strong>ria. Menouf. Two villages swept away by<br />

<strong>the</strong> overflow<strong>in</strong>g of <strong>the</strong> Nile. Western branch of<strong>the</strong>N,ue, Manner of pre-<br />

par<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>digo.<br />

Plantations of rice <strong>and</strong> sugar-canes. Rosetta. Plague<br />

among <strong>the</strong> British troops uuder General Baird. Lake of Aboukir. Arrival<br />

at Alex<strong>and</strong>ria. Pompey's pillar. Cleopatra's needle. Part of <strong>the</strong> Colossus<br />

of Memnon. Return to Cairo.<br />

ON <strong>the</strong> morn<strong>in</strong>g of <strong>the</strong> :30th of August a salute was fired from<br />

<strong>the</strong> citadel of Cairo, <strong>in</strong> consequence<br />

of favourable <strong>in</strong>telligence<br />

received from <strong>the</strong> Capitan Pacha, <strong>and</strong> of some successes obta<strong>in</strong>ed<br />

by <strong>the</strong> British army <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> vic<strong>in</strong>ity<br />

of Alex<strong>and</strong>ria.<br />

1 rode on <strong>the</strong> 31st to <strong>the</strong> different forts <strong>and</strong> towers erected by <strong>the</strong><br />

French to <strong>the</strong> north <strong>and</strong> north-east of Cairo, <strong>and</strong> was much con-<br />

cerned to see <strong>the</strong> depredations committed by <strong>the</strong> lurks, s<strong>in</strong>ce <strong>the</strong>ir<br />

arrival, on <strong>the</strong> works <strong>and</strong> fortifications, which were constructed of<br />

wood. These spoliations had been occasioned by<br />

<strong>the</strong> want of fuel,<br />

which <strong>in</strong> is <strong>Egypt</strong> chiefly<br />

conf<strong>in</strong>ed to <strong>the</strong> dung of animals, as I<br />

have already noticed.<br />

On <strong>the</strong> 1st of September I made an excursion to 014 Cairo, <strong>and</strong><br />

visited <strong>the</strong> grotto <strong>in</strong> which it is said <strong>the</strong> holy family sought refuge<br />

when persecuted by Herod. Joseph, hav<strong>in</strong>g been forewarned by<br />

<strong>the</strong> angel of <strong>the</strong> Lord of <strong>the</strong> meditated destruction of <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>fants<br />

by that tyrant, fled with <strong>the</strong> family <strong>in</strong>to <strong>Egypt</strong>. Over <strong>the</strong> grotto<br />

is a Coptic church, <strong>the</strong> priests belong<strong>in</strong>g to which derive some advantage<br />

from <strong>the</strong> grotto itself, which <strong>the</strong>y show to strangers who<br />

visit <strong>the</strong> spot. They also display <strong>the</strong>ir Coptic books, <strong>and</strong> whatever<br />

curiosities <strong>the</strong>ir church conta<strong>in</strong>s.<br />

At an <strong>in</strong>considerable distance from <strong>the</strong> grotto is an Armenian<br />

chapel, called <strong>the</strong> chapel of St. George, <strong>in</strong> consequence of a pari

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